While channel surfing one night, I came upon a show called Life on the
Rock on EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network). The host, a Franciscan
Friar, was interviewing two Catholic priests who were also passionate
hunters. One, Father Joseph Classen, has a website called Hunting For God
with information on his books (Hunting for God, Fishing for the Lord and
Meat & Potatoes Catholicism). All the usual and well-versed hunting defenses
are present; the ecological necessity to maintain balance among wildlife,
the humane culling of deer populations to mitigate slower death by
starvation and disease, humanitarian donations of excess meat to the less
fortunate, and, least convincingly, protection of crops, landscaping, and
careless drivers. This ground has already been covered in The Hunt. What
makes Father Classen, hunter, interesting, is the uniquely religious defense
and all-too-typical subterfuge.

For background, Classen quotes directly from the Catechism of the
Catholic Church:

God entrusted animals to the stewardship of those whom he created in
his own image. Hence it is legitimate to use animals for food and
clothing. They may be domesticated to help man in his work and leisure.
Medical and scientific experimentation on animals is a morally
acceptable practice if it remains within reasonable limits and
contributes to caring for or saving human lives. It is likewise unworthy
to spend money on them that should as a priority go to the relief of
human misery. One can love animals; one should not direct to them the
affection due only to persons.

In short, animals are soulless resources created for maintaining and
improving mankind. So, along with the usual hunting jargon of communion with
nature and participation in the life cycle (curiously, I know of no
contemporary custom that involves leaving deceased human bodies in the wild
for recycling), Catholic or Christian hunters may invoke God’s will as
justification. In the intro to Hunting for God, Classen writes, “…the
pursuits of fishing and hunting have been a sacred catalyst which has
revealed and guided me to something profoundly more significant than merely
catching fish and harvesting game.” Yet nowhere on his website could I find
a Catholic rebuke of factory farming, fur farming, or animals used in
entertainment. And, because human misery will always be with us, we are
advised not to donate to animal advocacy groups or sanctuaries who work to
alleviate animal suffering. It appears that the Church has decreed that
animal suffering matters (recalling the St. Francis ethic of gentle
kindness) but not enough to warrant meaningful aid.

On his website, Father Classen references a paper entitled The Myths of
Vegetarianism by Stephen Byrnes. Myth #15: Eating animal foods is inhumane.
“Nevertheless, many people have philosophical problems with eating animal
flesh, and these sentiments must be respected. Dairy products and eggs,
though, are not the result of an animal’s death and are fine alternatives
for these people.” This notion, endorsed by Father Classen, demonstrates
either gross ignorance or willful deception. Modern dairy cows and
egg-laying hens endure more suffering than any other farm animals and
certainly will be gruesomely slaughtered when they are spent.

I also find it offensive that the Church will go to great lengths to
condemn abortion and homosexuality but is unwilling to teach respect (i.e.,
vegetarianism) for other sentient beings. Classen, in Meat & Potatoes
Catholicism, writes, “In other classes, things like sexual promiscuity,
homosexual activity, abortion, masturbation and other soul-destroying filth
was presented to us as the acceptable norm that we should be supporting and
celebrating.” Homosexuality, abortion, and masturbation are soul-destroying
filth, but modern factory farming (with all its negation, abuse, cruelty,
misery, suffering, and violent destruction) escapes Classen’s critical pen.

And this is the subterfuge…

…He [God] hooked me up with a monster 6 lb 22″ bass! - Father Classen

He’s had triumphs too, like the day he used his bow to harvest a
10-point trophy buck.
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch book review on Father Classen

Hunting, for most, is primarily an egocentric activity; a satisfaction of
a pleasure desire or competitive itch. As soon as the first pose is struck
or hollowed body is mounted, a hunter reveals his central motivation.

That’s not to say that hunters don’t consider the other, more selfless,
goals. Most hunters truly believe that they are acting with compassion by
thinning herds, and, I would guess, that very little venison is ever wasted.
But if it could be proven that, in the absence of hunting, deer populations
would check themselves (with no more or less suffering than every other wild
species), and if faux meats were created that replicated taste, texture, and
nutrients (in fact, they already exist), hunters would still hunt. In
simplest terms, they like (love) the activity.

From an animal rights perspective, hunting wildlife is preferable to
factory farming. But it would be refreshing to hear Father Classen and other
hunters dispense with the well-rehearsed arguments for hunting and exhibit
real honesty.

The supposed wondrous humility experienced while outdoors communing with
nature and forging bonds with God and His creations, is betrayed by
celebratory pictures and taxidermist visits. This is all the more egregious
when exhibited by a Catholic priest. Classen, careful to refute that hunting
and fishing are sports, has said nonetheless, “As I gently released that
beautiful fish I was reminded once again of an important lesson: put the
Lord first in all things.” Catch-and-release sounds suspiciously like a
sport (or, at the very least, a leisure activity).

The Church acknowledges that animals can feel pain and suffer, and
Classen points out nature’s own indifference (including bloody ends) to life
and death. But nature provides some comforts and even joys or pleasures.
While maybe lacking the richness and variety of human pleasures, life for
other sentient beings is more than an endless and all-consuming foraging as
Father Classen would have us believe. Now, with the Church denying a soul
(and an opportunity for everlasting life) to nonhumans, is not intentionally
cutting these lives (the only ones they will ever know) short morally
objectionable? At the very least, isn’t commemorating the kill troublesome
on its own? Father Classen:

Certainly, it is not fun to watch the spark of life dwindle away from
a creature’s eye, knowing that one is directly responsible for its
death. But at the same time there exists a satisfaction, and yes, a
sense of honor in being an active, disciplined, gracious, responsible
and respectful participant in the cycle of life.

I believe that Father Classen does enjoy hunting and fishing and
experiences a high when successful. At its core, it is indeed fun, and that
makes the rest of his quote mere background noise.

The intent of this series is to wake up and
encourage the Church to greater works of love and compassion (John 14:12).
It is not to condemn the Church, in general, or any individual, any more than
Jesus condemned the woman caught in adultery. Jesus said to her, "...go
your way. From now on sin no more." (John 8:11) And this is our
message to the Church: Recognize our sins of the past and go forth seeking
to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48), correcting the
sins of the past, for that is the only way we can truly show the world that we
love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, might, and mind, including the
whole of creation, which includes our neighbors whom we are to love as ourselves.

Fair Use Notice: This document, and others on our web site, may contain copyrighted
material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owners.
We believe that this not-for-profit, educational use on the Web constitutes a fair use
of the copyrighted material (as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law).
If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use,
you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.